Juanma (footballer, born 1978)

Juan Manuel Valero Martínez (born 3 January 1978), known as Juanma, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a right back.

Juanma
Personal information
Full name Juan Manuel Valero Martínez
Date of birth (1978-01-03) 3 January 1978
Place of birth Alicante, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
Murcia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1996 Murcia B
1996–2008 Murcia 271 (5)
2007–2008 → Hércules (loan) 30 (1)
2009–2011 Orihuela 78 (1)
Total 379 (7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent the vast majority of his 18-year senior career with Murcia.

Football career

Born in Alicante, Valencian Community, Juanma made his professional debuts with Real Murcia, first playing with the reserves and moving to the first team aged 18. He helped the latter return to the second division in 2000, then retained his first-choice status in the subsequent seasons; in 2002–03 he appeared in 34 matches as Murcia returned to La Liga after a 14-year absence,[1] only to be immediately relegated back.

In summer 2007, after another top division promotion, longtime club captain Juanma was deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Javier Clemente, and served a loan with Hércules CF. After that he spent some months training separately and, after arranging for a release with the board of directors, joined Orihuela CF in the third level in January 2009.[2]

Juanma retired in June 2011 at the age of 33, after a further two full campaigns with Orihuela always in division three.

References
  1. El Murcia sale indemne de Balaídos (Murcia leave Balaídos unscathed); El Mundo, 31 August 2003 (in Spanish)
  2. Juanma se incorpora al Orihuela (Juanma added to Orihuela); Diario Información, 14 January 2009 (in Spanish)
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